Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, breakfast and dinner are included unless stated otherwise.

Yes, our standard package provides a double ensuite room for single occupancy. Only pillions or close friends may share a room, because we don’t want anyone unfit to ride after a disturbed night.

Yes; many of the hotels we select offer leisure facilities which guests may use, sometimes at no extra cost depending on the hotel’s policy.

Most of our hotels have lifts; if this is important to you, let us know and we shall ensure your room is allocated appropriately.

Yes. Let us know your requirements and we will inform each hotel on the route.

Many hotels along our routes offer laundry or same-day service; availability varies, so you may wish to carry enough clothing for several days in case facilities are limited.

Most of the hotels we use provide private or secure parking areas for motorcycles; where this is not available we shall advise in advance and recommend suitable alternatives nearby.

We usually book on a half‑board basis, meaning breakfast and dinner are included unless stated otherwise. Accommodation is in quality hotels and inns chosen for comfort and character.

Yes, we are happy to assist

Yes, transfer arrangements can be made.

Contact us as soon as you become aware of a delay; we shall guide you on how best to meet the group and arrange a briefing so you are fully prepared to join the tour.

This varies, each tour page lists its start and end points.

Yes. We comply fully with the Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018, and all customer funds are held in a trust account for your protection.

Simply click the link on any tour page that leads to the provisional booking form. Once submitted, we will contact you to go over the details and confirm suitability.

We accept all major credit and debit cards (Visa, Mastercard, Amex, Discover, JCB, Diners Club), digital wallets (Apple Pay, Google Pay, Microsoft Pay), bank transfers, and other methods on request.

A deposit of at least £500 (up to 20% of the tour cost) is required to secure a place. A deposit of at least £200 is required to reserve a hire motorcycle. Each tour page states the exact amount.

The balance is due 56 days before the first day of the tour.

Yes; all hotels provide mains sockets suitable for charging phones, intercoms, cameras, GPS devices, and other essentials.

This depends on your home country and the region being toured; we recommend bringing a suitable travel adapter to ensure you can charge your devices at all hotels.

Most of our hire motorcycles feature USB or 12V charging ports; if you require one, please ask when booking and we will confirm availability for your specific bike.

Most fuel stations accept major debit and credit cards, but some rural stations may require chip-and-PIN; contactless is increasingly common but not guaranteed.

We recommend carrying a small amount of local currency for refreshments, small purchases, or occasions where card payments are not accepted.

No. If you are new to group riding, we shall help you settle in quickly and comfortably.

Groups are deliberately small, usually 4–8 riders, some with pillions. This helps to keep the experience personal and manageable.

To hire one of our motorcycles, you need at least two years of riding experience. Riders bringing their own bikes may have less. If you’re inexperienced or unsure, please speak with us before booking so we can ensure you’ll feel confident and safe throughout the tour.

All our tours are fully guided and run mainly on well‑surfaced roads. Accommodation is typically in high‑quality four‑star hotels, boutique inns, and other carefully selected establishments that suit mature and discerning riders.

Our tours are designed for mature riders who enjoy well‑paced days on twisty, scenic roads, with stops at places of historic or cultural interest

Yes, and it should cover riding a motorcycle of the engine size you will be using.

Yes, hire motorcycles include breakdown cover.

Yes, for hire motorcycles.

Yes, of course you can bring anything you need if riding your own bike.

It is rare for us to include a support vehicle although we do organise luggage transport on request at an added cost. Generally, riders should plan to carry what they need on the bike.

Most bikes are equipped with around 120 litres of storage. Care needs to be taken when packing luggage to ensure you do not affect the handling of the bike. That usually equates to about 5 kg per pannier and another 5 in the top box. On some bikes we can also offer a tank bag and of course solo riders can strap an additional bag onto the pillion seat.

Yes, in fact you will be reserving a specific bike. However, should that suffer and problem that impacts with your hire we will substitute it with another.

All of our bikes require a full motorcycle license. We shall need sight of your license in advance to prepare your draft hire agreement. Riders with licenses issued in UK, EU, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and USA will generally be accepted. Riders with licenses issued in other nations will require to be presented to our insurer for prior approval. Riders aged 25 to 75 and have a minimum of 2 years riding on a similar motorcycle to the one being hired can ride solo. Those carrying a pillion must be 35-70 with a minimum of 3 years riding on a similar motorcycle to the one being hired. You may be asked for evidence of this experience. When collecting the bike, in addition to presenting your license, foreign nationals will also be required to provide passport and all riders evidence of their residence.

Contact McTours in the first instance and we shall assist. It may be something simple that we can help you to resolve. If that does not resolve, we shall contact the roadside recovery or come to your aid. Please note that we cannot guarantee a replacement bike and that until the fault is diagnosed it will not be known if this was caused by the rider or is a manufactures defect.

All of our bikes are supplied with luggage (Top Box, Two Panniers all with inner bags), breakdown cover is included. We also supply a basic toolkit, puncture repair kit and pump. GPS devices, GoPro Camera, Helmet, and Motorcycle Clothing are all available at additional cost.

Yes, many riders do.

Yes, we can supply suitable hire motorcycles for all tours.

Yes, we offer hire helmets and protective clothing. If luggage space is limited, travel light and rent gear from us. However, availability in certain sizes is limited, so please reserve equipment in advance.

We rarely include a support van, but luggage transport can be arranged at extra cost when required. Generally, riders should plan to carry what they need on the bike.

Bring whatever gear you prefer, but note: an EC‑certified helmet is compulsory, and gloves are mandatory in some countries. We recommend checking requirements when booking.

We mainly provide adventure‑style motorcycles above 650cc. A full motorcycle licence is required for all hire bikes.

We do not recommend you overtake the tour guide. If your tour guide tells you that you can ride ahead then he will also tell you where to stop and wait to regroup and get the next instructions. If you plan to drop off behind the group, make sure you tell the guide that you plan to do se. They will agree where best to regroup. The tour guide and McTours cannot accept responsibility for any rider who choses to break away from the group.

Yes; routes may be amended for weather, roadworks, or unforeseen events; any change is explained at the briefing and shared with updated waypoints.

If joining a guided tour, this will not be necessary. Our tour guides lead the way and rarely rely upon GPS. As our routes are rather circuitous it would be challenging to plot all the waypoints, but if a rider requires a GPS we can provide an indicative route that will at least lead to the destination. Those opting for hire only can also hire GPS but are expected to plot their own routes. We can at an added cost make some route suggestions but unless we know the hotels you have booked and places of interest you plan to visit it will not be possible to accurately plot a route for you.

Typically every 90 minutes; whether that be for tea and coffee, to see a place of interest. photo stops, fuel, etc., regular breaks keep everyone fresh.

You may use a drone only where local laws permit and where it does not compromise safety; please familiarise yourself with country-specific regulations before bringing a drone.

Yes; where possible we take informal photos during the tour and share them with the group afterwards. Most in the group shall also share their photos with fellow riders.

Many of the tours McTours offer are at a fixed base. From here we take a different circuit each day as riders explore the region, meanwhile their non-riding partner can enjoy the resorts leisure facilities, play sports like golf and tennis, relax in the sauna or spa facilities etc.

On non riding days all are free to do as they please. Nothing is scheduled but there will be plenty of options for things to do.

Better than that, a pillion price is very modest to cover any room upgrade, food and insurance, so, typically adding a pillion adds about 20-30% to a riders core cost.

Yes, but you need to keep us informed.

We can help you make safe arrangements to return or continue independently, but unused tour elements are non‑refundable.

Aside from the Covid pandemic, we have never cancelled a tour, even running tours at a loss to honour bookings.

More than 56 days before departure: You receive a refund minus the reservation fee (£500 per person or 10%, whichever is greater). 56 to 28 days before departure: If we cannot resell your place, 50% of the tour cost is forfeited. 27 days or fewer before departure: If we cannot resell your place, the full tour cost may be forfeited.

Absolutely. Just tell us your preferred destinations and we shall design a suitable route.

Yes, we regularly create custom itineraries.

Yes, we can organise tours tailored to your group's needs.

It depends on many things. Apart from some bespoke tours that can have larger groups we generally restrict our tours for up to six riders accompanied by a tour guide. Where we have more riders than six riders we add an additional guide. Sometimes, we operate a drop off system, whereby the rider immediately behind the guide stops in a safe and obvious position to indicate the route to riders following. The drop off rider then rejoins in front of the tail rider in the group. In short, we want to keep all riders as tightly together as possible to ensure no one gets lost. Riders may pull over and stop if they wish to take a picture and if the guide can no longer count all riders in the group he will reduce the pace or find a safe place to stop until all regroup.

No; your guide explains the daily routine, spacing, and signals at the initial briefing, and you will settle in quickly.

Most of our tours will cover 150-200 miles (240-320km) each day, though it can be less and very occasionally more. To us it is more about time in the saddle than miles. We try to keep your time in the saddle to no more than six hours each day. Factor in stops and that is usually 8-10 hours for each day’s journey.

The group can only move at the pace of the slowest rider, but we have ways that allow more competent riders to enjoy the ride whist we help those who are struggling to develop their riding skills. We never leave anyone behind! Tell the guide at the next stop; we will adjust the pace, add extra regroup points, or split into smaller sub-groups so you ride comfortably.

This would be a very rare occurrence, but all routes are designed to facilitate short cuts. Whilst the planned route usually enjoys the twists and turns of the backroads a major road nearby can provide a highspeed link to the next destination. In adverse weather we can either plot a different course or take shelter until it passes.

Always take out travel insurance well in advance of the tour, in fact you want this before you start paying for your tour just in case illness prevents to joining the tour. That way the insurance might help mitigate any loss you incur through cancellation. If hiring a bike, it will be appropriately insured, but if bringing your own you are best to cross check with your insurer to verify you have appropriate cover.

You don’t need to bring any, because you can hire riding gear from us; however, most riders will prefer their own gear. It is compulsory to wear a helmet in all the countries that we tour, CE certified Gloves are also enforced in some countries. We strongly advise wearing protective trousers and jacket and good motorcycle boots. Bear in mind that we cannot guarantee good weather, so, consider packing additional waterproofs.

Yes, most of our tours have been bespoke routes for couples, families, or groups of friends.

All our routes include some degree of challenge. If you are unsure from the tour description, just ask and we will happily clarify.

We rarely ride more than 90 minutes without a break, either for refreshments, photos, or places of interest. There is not alway space for a group to stop at a phote stop but we manage these carefully to ensure no one gets separated.

We plan days around time in the saddle rather than mileage. Loop routes (same hotel each night): about 6 hours riding, typically up to 200 miles / 320 km. Touring routes (changing hotels): 4.5 to 5 hours riding, typically 150–170 miles / 240–270 km.

Yes

Not usually, as small groups make support vehicles impractical and costly. However, one can be arranged for private or bespoke tours.

We will assist as much as reasonably possible, whether that means getting you to medical help, arranging alternative transport, or helping you return to the start/end point. We have successfully supported riders in a variety of situations over the years.

We continually assess risks and adapt plans as needed to ensure everyone is safe throughout the tour.

We expect riders to self‑assess their fitness to take part. For older riders hiring a motorcycle from us, we may request a doctor’s confirmation of your fitness to ride.

Ensure you are comfortable riding several hours per day, your motorcycle (if bringing your own) is well maintained, and that you are equipped with suitable clothing for changing weather. We are happy to advise based on the specific tour.

A full motorcycle licence is essential. If hiring a bike: insurance is included. If using your own bike: we will need your insurance certificate. For multi‑country tours: you will need a passport, often required at hotel check‑in even if borders are open.

If you have hired a motorcycle from us or our partners, we shall arrange a solution as quickly as possible to keep the tour moving. If you are on your own bike, we will assist where possible, but tour continuity must be maintained. All riders should have their own roadside assistance cover.

We assess conditions daily. Snow and ice are extremely rare in summer, but rain should be expected. During heavy rain, we may pause or adjust the route for safety.

The Scottish riding season runs from April to September. May is particularly popular due to generally settled weather and fewer school holiday crowds. Conditions vary across Europe, ask us for guidance for your chosen destination.

Always bring waterproofs and layers. Weather can change quickly, especially in mountainous regions.